BioLite FirePit: See Fire, Not Smoke

$2,534,017

10,238

Fire is one of our oldest tools. The glow, the warmth, the smell, it hits on something inside all of us. We love to be around it, yet it always seems to come with this annoying sidekick – smoke.

At BioLite, we’ve been cleaning up wood fires all over the world for over five years. This time around, we’ve got our sights set on the fire in your backyard with the BioLite FirePit, a smokeless wood-burning device that cooks your meals and gives you a front-row seat to everything going on inside your fire.

Got 60 seconds? Here's why the BioLite FirePit is different:

#1: Get an efficient burn with way less smoke than a conventional fire pit

#2: Enjoy the feeling of a 360-degree floating fire with the FirePit's X-Ray Mesh

We know that playing with fire is a touchy subject: why would you want to go and mess with something as classic and lovable as a campfire? Well, we’re not messing with it; we’re making it burn the same stuff, just better. This isn’t a weird chemical fuel or a gas flame – it’s wood, being the best it can be. All it needs is some air in the right places.

Typical fire pit vs BioLite FirePit

When you see smoke coming off of a typical campfire or firepit, that’s unburnt fuel; particulate matter that could have been combusted inside of the fire, but instead it’s getting on your clothes, in your hair, and more importantly, in your lungs (that’s why so many of us get a headache about an hour or two after sitting around a campfire). Think about it this way: if you saw a car driving down the street with a bunch of smoke coming out of its tailpipe you’d think that’s a badly tuned car. Well guess what, smoky fires are badly tuned fires.

The BioLite FirePit is a major tune-up. Here’s how we do it:

Across the body of the FirePit we’ve got 51 airjets that inject the fire with oxygen along key locations thanks to the fan located inside the USB-rechargeable orange power pack. This creates a more uniform temperature and mixing of gases inside the fire which dramatically improves combustion.

This means two important things: 1) You get the crackling, the smell, and the feel of a robust wood fire but WITHOUT the smoke and 2) You can actually achieve a warm, roaring fire with LESS wood because you’re burning your original fuel more efficiently.

The airflow system has 4 fan speeds to control the intensity of your flames. If you want a mellow campfire feel, you tune it to LOW. If you want a powerful fire that radiates a lot of heat outward, crank it up to HIGH.

WATCH - FIREPIT UNCUT: Spark-To-Smokeless in under 30 seconds

You can control that fan intensity right from the FirePit's powerpack or from the palm of your hand with the free BioLite Energy App for Android and iOS.

Want to see our combustion in action? Tune in on Wednesday, September 27 @ 1 EST/10 PST to meet our lead engineers Ryan and Tim as they start a fire from scratch and discuss all things combustion science.

One of the best things about an outdoor fire is watching the hypnotic, relaxing flames.

With BioLite’s X-Ray Mesh Body you see it all: glowing embers at the bottom, the gasifying wood in the middle, and the vortex of flames coming out at the top. Rather than staring at a metal can or a cylinder of bricks, you get a full fire that shows you every step of the combustion process.

Cooking and campfires both require thermal energy so we combined them into a single device with the FirePit: the inner fuel rack can accommodate both charcoal and wood so you can start your day on a hibachi-style grill and end it with the perfect bonfire.

Hot Tip: when you start with charcoal, the leftover embers double as the perfect Firestarter for your campfire – just toss in a piece of firewood when you’re done cooking and watch it catch, no additional firestarting needed.

Your FirePit becomes a fully self-reliant ecosystem of energy with our FREE Solar Carry Case, a waterproof cover that uses the power of the sun to recharge the FirePit when not in use so your airflow system is always ready for your next burn. (A $60 value, FREE to all Kickstarter Backers)

Effortlessly charge from the sun with the integrated solar panel and micro USB connector

The FirePit's folding legs make transporting a snap. And combined with the Solar Cover's durable carry straps, you're ready to go from the backyard to the beach in no time.

Along with our FirePit, we’ve got some favorites from the BioLite family and some special collaborations for one-of-a-kind items you’d love to have around the fire.

We don’t take fire lightly. It's the reason that the FirePit has been development for over two years.

WATCH: Burn testing the FirePit

Fire is also the reason our organization began and it’s at the core of our mission to bring safe, reliable energy everywhere. Half the planet still cooks over smoky open indoor fires everyday, leading to over 4 million deaths annually. BioLite addresses this head on with the BioLite HomeStove, a wood-burning cookstove that uses similar technology found inside the FirePit to create a safer cooking fire for households across India and sub-Saharan Africa.

By backing this project, you help us continue this important work (and the challenges that come with it). To date, over 25,000 homes are cooking with cleaner fires using our technology and with your support, we’ll grow that exponentially that in the years ahead.

In addition to our lead team above, we'd like to extend a deep thank you to everyone at BioLite who helped us to develop FirePit over the past two years. From prototype testing on remote islands to sourcing our new partners to designing the emails in your inbox, every team member has played a part in bringing this campaign to life. Sales, Operations, Customer Service, we're lookin' at you.

Risks and challenges

This is our third Kickstarter and we have learned a lot from our previous projects and the challenges that came with it. With that in mind, this project has the longest runway for fulfillment we’ve ever scheduled so that we can create realistic expectations around nailing our timelines. Nobody likes delays, and we’re doing everything we can to deliver on an achievable and responsible schedule. That said, with a new production partner, we may still have some learning curves ahead of us but our team will be here to communicate along the way.

Another risk we are taking on is offering our campaign to anyone in the world – why is that a risk? Because shipping logistics can get really, really complicated, and very very expensive, especially with a larger and heavier item like the FirePit. We want anyone who wants to have the opportunity to be a backer, and we are doing everything we can to be very upfront about what it takes to get you your FirePit. All international fees include Delivered Duties Paid (meaning you will NOT receive any extra charges upon arrival). We can assure you that we are not making any money on our international shipping fees, only covering a portion of the full charges.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $199 or more
About $199

FirePit Kickstarter Exclusive

Yes! Get that fire!

Looking for the FirePit, the whole FirePit, and nothing but the FirePit? This level is for you. As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use (a $60 value at retail).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $199 or more
About $199

WAVE #2: FirePit Kickstarter Exclusive

Yes! Get that fire!

This thing is taking off, get your pledge in now and join the second production run of FirePit! As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use (a $60 value at retail).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $199 or more
About $199

WAVE #3: FirePit AUGUST 2018 RUN

***Please check to see if any of our May or July levels are open before you back this pledge!!***

This is the THIRD production run of FirePit, landing in late August of 2018 (we can't believe it). Transparency alert: there is a chance this specific production wave will coincide with possible retail partnerships thanks to the incredible success this community has created for this campaign. If you want to join our Kickstarter Campaign, climb aboard! You'll receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use (which will be sold separately at retail for $60). We understand if you prefer to wait until it hits shelves, but we also want to give you the chance to be a part of this fun and encouraging community -- it's up to you!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $249 or more
About $249

Fireside Friend #2: Song Session w/ Kala

Available in U.S. and Canada only.

Our second of three Fireside Friend Special Collaborations!

A song of ice and fire: the BioLite FirePit pairs up with the Waterman Ice Soprano, a water-resistant transparent travel ukulele from our friends over at Kala. Tunes around a campfire are a must-have, so in addition to the uke, this pledge level comes with an exclusive digital songbook co-edited by the teams at BioLite and Kala. You'll be a prodigy in no time.

As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $275 or more
About $275

Fireside Friend #3: The Woodsman

Available in U.S. and Canada only.

Our third and final Fireside Friend Special Collaboration!

Keep your fire going all night with a perfect stack of firewood thanks to the Old Henry Hatchet from our friends at Man Made Co. Featuring a 14" Hickory handle and High-Carbon steel head, this bad boy is made in the USA, hand-finished, and sharpened to a fine edge. This limited-edition batch comes painted in BioLite flagship colors and each is harnessed in a handmade leather sheath for a truly one-of-a-kind tool.

As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $299 or more
About $299

Fireside Friend: Warm & Koozie w/ Rumpl

Available in U.S. and Canada only.

Our first of 3 Fireside Friend Special Collaborations!

There's nothing like being bundled up around a campfire, and nobody does it better than our pals over at Rumpl. At this pledge, you'll receive the FirePit along with a Rumpl Throw (perfect to sit on or wear on a chilly night) along with [4] Rumpl Beer Blankets, the perfect insulation for any 12oz can.

Goal Alert: If we can hit 500 backers at this level, we unlock the ability to design a custom colorway for the throw and beer blanket!

As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $749 or more
About $749

Off-Grid Oasis

Available in U.S. and Canada only.

Everything you need for an epic group hangout outside. Buckle up, this treasure chest runs deep.

In addition to the FirePit, augment your wood cooking with the CampStove 2 and all its accessories, light up key areas of your site with the complete BioLite NanoGrid (plus some extra lights for good measure), and keep your whole system running with the SolarPanel 10+

As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $749 or more
About $749

WAVE 2: Off-Grid Oasis

Available in U.S. and Canada only.

GET IN FOR THE SECOND PRODUCTION RUN!

Everything you need for an epic group hangout outside. Buckle up, this treasure chest runs deep.

In addition to the FirePit, augment your wood cooking with the CampStove 2 and all its accessories, light up key areas of your site with the complete BioLite NanoGrid (plus some extra lights for good measure), and keep your whole system running with the SolarPanel 10+

As a member of our Kickstarter community, you'll also receive a FREE Solar Carry Cover with integrated shoulder straps, designed exclusively for the FirePit so you can automatically recharge when not in use.